1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vehicular accessories and more specifically to an apparatus for holding small items such as a cellular telephone on the dashboard of an automobile or other vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of commercially available products mount to the dashboard of an automobile to hold small objects, such as a cellular telephone. Typically these products include a bracket having feet which fit against the dashboard of the automobile and are held to the dashboard. Attached to the bracket is for instance a ball of a ball and socket joint. The socket of the ball and socket joint is attached thereto. A holster, or other type of container, is attached to the socket for holding for instance the cellular telephone. One such product is a relatively simple bracket whose feet fit into the seams in the dashboard. This has the advantage of requiring no fasteners, but the disadvantage that since it fits in the dashboard seams, a different bracket is required for each model of car, there being no standard distance between dashboard seams. Other types of fasteners actually fasten into the dashboard for instance by screws, etc.
A number of such devices attach to the ventilation ("vent") grills typically mounted in the dashboard. These grills provide a number of vent ribs to which devices can be relatively easily clamped or mounted. Hence this is a ready made mounting area. In one such device, hooks are provided which hook around the vent ribs and a corresponding screw mechanism draws the hooks against the vent ribs. This has several disadvantages. For one thing, there is no assurance that the screw end will actually clear the ribs; also the device may not fit all vehicles. Another type of device includes metal clips which clamp onto the vent ribs and stabilizer legs which bear on the dashboard surrounding the ventilation grill. This device, however, is not rigidly mounted. It has the advantage of being extremely adjustable, but may come loose under severe vibration. Another device is a vent hanging bracket which includes hooks which catch on the vent ribs and a metal clip which presses against the vent, creating a snug fit. Corresponding posts mount on the dashboard. This is self adjusting and compliant, but provides no width adjustment.
Therefore, while this is a well-known problem, currently available solutions all have significant defects.